BJP exits alliance with PDP

THE three-year Jammu and Kashmir Government, wracked by bitter political feuds and worsening security challenges, collapsed on Tuesday with the BJP pulling out of its alliance with the PDP setting the stage for yet another round of Governor’s Rule.

BJP General Secretary Ram Madhav made the surprise announcement after the party high command summoned its Jammu and Kashmir Ministers for emergency consultations in New Delhi. A few hours later, Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti submitted her resignation to Governor N N Vohra amid a swirl of political activity in Srinagar and New Delhi.

“It has become untenable for the BJP to continue in the alliance Government in the State,” Madhav told reporters at a hurriedly called press conference. The BJP won 25 seats and the PDP 28 in 87-member Assembly and came together in alliance, two months after the December 2014 elections. The NC has 15 seats, the Congress 12 and others seven.

Although the BJP and the PDP had campaigned vigorously against each other, they came together with an Agenda of Alliance in the hope of pulling the State out of the cycle of violence. But the Alliance never took hold and the two parties disagreed on most issues even as the security situation continued to deteriorate. Both Omar and the Congress said they will not form an alliance with any party to form Government in the State. The BJP also said it favours Governor’s Rule.

Madhav said the decision to withdraw was taken after consulting Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party chief Amit Shah.Immediately after his news conference, senior PDP Minister and party’s chief spokesperson Naeem Akhthar told reporters in Srinagar that the BJP’s decision had caught the party by surprise.

The BJP blamed the PDP for failing to improve the security conditions in the Kashmir Valley. Madhav cited last week’s killing of senior journalist Shujaat Bukhari in the heart of Srinagar in the highly secured area of Press Enclave by unidentified gunmen. The same day -- two days before Eid -- an Army jawan was abducted while going on Eid leave and killed.

“Keeping in mind that Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and in order to control the prevailing situation in the State, we have decided that the reins of power in the State be handed over to the Governor,” Madhav added.

Governor forwards report to President

SRINAGAR,

GOVERNOR N N Vohra on Tuesday forwarded his report to President Ram Nath Kovind for imposition of Governor’s Rule in Jammu and Kashmir after BJP pulled out of the coalition Government and Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti tendered her resignation.

The report was sent to the President after Vohra held consultations with Mehbooba, BJP State chief Ravinder Raina, NC Vice-President Omar Abdullah and Congress State President G A Mir.

“The Governor received a letter by fax, jointly signed by Ravinder Raina and Kavin1der Gupta, State BJP President and leader of BJP Legislature Party respectively, about withdrawing BJP’s support to the coalition Government,” a Raj Bhawan spokesperson said.

The spokesperson said Mehbooba tendered her resignation thereafter but the Governor has asked her to continue in office till alternative arrangements are made.“The Governor spoke to Kavinder Gupta and Mehbooba Mufti to ascertain whether their respective parties intended to explore alternative alliances to form a Government in the state and was informed in the negative by both the leaders,” he said.

Vohra also spoke to Mir, who informed that his party did not have the numerical strength to form a Government on its own or in alliance, the spokesperson said.Later, the Governor had a meeting with Omar, who stated that there was no alternative to Governor’s Rule and elections.

“After concluding his consultations with all the major political parties, Governor Vohra has forwarded his report to the President for imposition of Governor’s Rule under Section 92 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir,” the spokesperson added.